The Beginning of Connie and Isaac: Blue Butterfly Series (The Blue Butterfly Book 3) (2 page)

“No. Mae’s in bed and my parents are in France at some conference of my father’s.”

I shook my head, pissed off with how her parents had left them alone at such a young age.

“No, you can’t.” She gasped. “I’m going to bed now.” She sighed and shook her head but smiled to herself. “Goodnight, Lee.”

She terminated the call and flung the phone onto the couch beside her. Her head tilted as she studied her toe decorating. “Oh, they’ll do,” she murmured as her head lifted and she stared towards the TV.

I took a step further into the room, the thick carpet silencing my feet. I frowned when she stilled slightly but she didn’t look up. Taking another step, I bit my lower lip when she reached for the phone again, obviously about to make another call. As I reached out to plant my hand over her mouth, she flung herself round and bashed the phone into my face. I was too shocked that she’d realised I was there that it didn’t register that she had taken off across the room at speed until she was yanking at some double doors at the rear.

I raced after her and she pulled them open, looking over her shoulder to see where I was. Her bright blue eyes smashed into mine, the terror in them clashing with the adrenaline coursing through her. Her lips were parted, allowing for her deep panting, her chest stuttering as fright quickened her heart rate.

She turned again and disappeared through the doors, bringing us both into a dining room. A huge mahogany table sat in the centre. A large black dresser sat on one wall, plates and glasses perched orderly on each shelf.

My eyes widened when a plate sailed across the room and smashed on the wall beside my head. “Wow.” I laughed. “You are a feisty one.”

“I’ll scream!”

I shrugged. “Go for it. Then we can get your sister down here and get this over with.”

Her head shook rapidly. “No. No, you leave Mae alone.”

A glass shattered across my head. Her eyes widened when I growled at her. “Do that again and I will make this really difficult.”

“Like it’s not already?” She picked up another plate and held it above her head to launch it at me.

She moved around the table when I did, both of us sidestepping, our eyes on each other, our bodies ready to launch at the first opportunity.

“What do you want?” I noticed the trail of tears on her face but her courage surprised me.

“I want you. Simple really.”

“W...what do you want to do?”

A small smile crept across my lips. “Well, I’m not going to rape you if that’s what you think. Give me some credit.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Credit? I… what…?” She stared at me.

“I have standards. You’re just a little girl.” I smiled at her.

Anger contorted her pretty face as she launched the plate at me. “I’m not a little girl!”

Fuck this. I was tired of playing.

I shot over the table after her. She finally screamed and ran to another door, pulling it frantically.

“Oh dear. Is it locked?” I laughed when I grabbed her, my arms completely wrapping her up. She kicked at me, struggling in my arms as I dragged her across the room. Her head flung backwards, the back of her skull connecting with my nose. Pain exploded in every nerve ending, making my eyes water, and a choked grunt forced up my throat.

“Fuck!” I snarled when I clamped her down harder. “You bitch!”

“Let me go!” she cried, a deep sob wrenching from her as she writhed against me. My chest tightened. Shit, this was so wrong.

Slinging her face down on the couch, I straddled her back, bracing any moving parts as I fought for breath. “Jesus Christ, love. You’re a lunatic!”

“GET OFF ME!” she screeched.

“Sshhh.” I slapped my hand over her mouth. Her teeth sank into the flesh of my palm. The slap around her head was instinctive as I brought my bitten hand to my mouth, sucking on my own blood. “For fuck’s sake, you crazy bitch!”

The heel of her foot thudded into my lower back. I turned around, wondering how the hell she had freed the lower half of her legs. However, I was slightly in awe of her spirit and fight.

I forced her face into the cushion with my hand on the back of her head, and leant into her ear. “Will you stop! I’m seriously considering making your death as painful as possible!”

She froze, her body seizing up beneath me. My heartbeat stuttered. “What?” she whispered, her body now completely lax underneath me.

“It’s your time to die, love. I’m sorry.”

She was silent, her whole spirit drowned in my declaration. “Why?”

I frowned. I hadn’t expected that question. Sometimes kids are more intelligent than the hardest adult who would right now be begging me to let them live, not asking why I was ending their time on earth.

“I have no idea. You’re just a job to me.”

“How?”

What the fuck was this chick on?

“Uhh, I don’t know. How would you like it?” I shook my head in bewilderment.

A small hiccup echoed from her before she tilted her head to the side and looked up at me. Her blue eyes shimmered under the pool of her tears. Her lower lip trembled but she had a resolve about her, a steel spirit that was determined to keep her dignity.

“Please don’t hurt Mae,” she whispered. “You can do what you want to me, but please, don’t hurt my sister.”

I stared at her, my heart threatening to break out of my chest. Her eyes locked onto mine as she pleaded with me. My throat constricted, the bile in my stomach threatening to spray across her pale cheeks.

I turned her body under me until she was on her back looking up at me. “Do you know what I am?”

She shook her head, a tear that rolled down the side of her face flinging off and landing on the knee of my jeans. I pressed my finger into it, the damp transferring onto my fingertip. “I’m a Phantom,” I told her as I ran the tip of my finger along my bottom lip, tasting the salt in her despair. “I’m trained to kill. I have a contract to end your life.”

Her wide eyes stared up at me, her chest heaving as she tried to stop herself from crying. I had never witnessed anyone with as much resilience as this thirteen-year-old girl trapped under my weight.

“I’m afraid that whatever happens tonight, I
have
to kill you and your sister. It’s my job.”

“No!” She shook her head from side to side, her tears now streaming over her defined cheekbones. “No, please. Leave Mae. Tell whoever sent you that she was in France with my parents. Or… or you could just say that you killed her and they’ll never find out. Please! Please! She doesn’t deserve this.” Obviously she thought that
she
did.

I slid my thumb across her cheek, collecting her tears. She reached down and tore at her t-shirt, ripping it over her head, baring her small breasts sheathed by a simple white bra. “You can take what you want, you can…” She nodded to me, not wanting to voice her words. “Just leave Mae alone.”

“Jesus Christ!” I yanked the throw from the back of the couch and covered her with it. “I’m not going to touch you. Not like that.”

“Anything,” she begged. “Anything.”

I looked away, biting down the hatred curling inside me. An idea started to form in my head and I slowly lowered my eyes to her. Cocking my head, I studied her. She was exactly the right material. Strong, feisty, brave, and fucking crazy.

This would cause a shit storm back home, but something told me that it could work.

Pulling in a deep breath I narrowed my eyes on her. “I’m going to try something.”

She frowned but gave a slow nod.

I lifted my hand, then paused and lowered it.

Shit!

Lifting it again, I slapped it across her cheek. Her eyes widened as her skin blushed but she bit into her lip, nodding in understanding. She braced herself and turned her face to the back of the sofa. “Do it.”

I slapped her again, watching how she reacted to it. After twenty she started flinching, her skin sore, her tears stinging where her skin was starting to break out with tiny blood vessels that had erupted on the surface.

“What’s your name?” I asked as I smacked her again.

“C… Connie.”

“Connie, listen to me.” She nodded, squeezing her eyes closed as I hit her again. “You’re not breathing properly. You’re tensing before I even connect with you. Your tears are making this harder. Your fear is making adrenaline which is heightening the pain.” She opened her eyes, looking at me curiously. “Breathe in and out slowly.” She fought with herself but I waited until she’d taken control, the deep heaves of her chest bating. “Relax your body.”

She scoffed at me, looking at me like I’d gone mad. I quirked a brow. She took a deep breath, forcing her body to loosen. I smiled to myself, satisfied with her ability to take orders.

“Now,” I whispered as I tilted her to face me with a finger on her sore cheek. “Stop - crying.”

She gulped but nodded, calming beneath me. Her compliance made me grin. She scowled at me but I shook my head slowly, tutting at her. She relaxed again, taking another breath, her chest still stuttering slightly.

She blinked when I suddenly struck her twice, once on each cheek. The lift of her brow confirmed that she had followed my instruction perfectly.

“Good.” I slid off her. She blinked at me, confused as to why I suddenly relented. “You show promise.”

“Promise?”

“Uh-huh.” I made my way back to the door and turned. “You will become a Phantom on the night of your fifteenth birthday, in exchange for your sister’s life.”

Her mouth dropped when realisation hit her, her eyes widening as her breath stuttered. “You’re too young now. However, don’t think I will forget you, Connie. And don’t think you can hide.” I smirked at her. “And believe me when I say that no one can get you out of this. Tell anyone and our agreement is void. I will return and I will kill both you and your sister, but next time I won’t be lenient.” I pulled open the door and looked back. “Do you understand me?”

She nodded slowly.

I winked, clicking my tongue at her. “See you soon.”

I couldn’t help the large grin from erupting across my face as I left the house. Suddenly, life didn’t seem so bad. There was something about the kid that got to me. I had no idea what, but I was sure I would soon find out.

February 2005. Aged 13

THE LUMP OF
toast moulded into a ball in my mouth, my throat restricting its passage into my stomach. I still felt nauseous. My eyes were held open by only grit, the lack of sleep making my brain hazy.

“Connie?”

I lifted my head to my father who stood in the doorway with his suitcase in his hand. I quickly flicked my hair so it covered the bruises on my cheek and gave him a forced smile. “You’re back early.”

He stared at me for ages, his narrowed eyes roaming over my face. “Are you alright?”

My heartbeat increased, my mouth drying further. Could I tell him? He was my father, a cop, and a damn good one at that. He would protect me. However, when Mae’s pretty smile filtered into my head, I gulped back the words and nodded. “Yep.”

He sighed and lifted a brow. “Then why aren’t you at school?”

I frowned at him and looked to the clock. My eyes widened when I realised I was already an hour late for registration. Where had the last two hours gone? “Oh, Lord. I’m sorry.”